The Stronger Human
by CDragon510
Summary: Follow up to 'Teach Me To Love.' Non-Mass She was never going to be good enough for his son. It was a perception that Fugaku clung onto and believed wholeheartedly. How could he have ever been so wrong in his life? romance/drama/family
1. Chapter 1

"Itachi, I've told you several times. I do not approve." Fugaku narrowed his eyes as his son's hand grasped the doorknob. Newspaper completely ignored, the patriarch of the Uchiha clan placed a firm fist on the dining table.

"I recall you telling me yesterday as well," the son noted dryly. His father had been complaining since his relationship with Sakura had gone public.

Though most of society offered their most heartfelt congratulations to the couple, a few people opposed to their union, and none other than Uchiha Fugaku was their biggest roadblock. He had not come around to approving of their relationship at all. And since Itachi had expressed interest in proposing to his girlfriend of 3 years a few weeks ago, his father's opposition had become far more fervent and frequent once he'd caught wind of his son's intentions. While it had been annoying to hear him complain about her occasionally, it was becoming almost unbearable to hear the same complaint every day. It was always something about Sakura chasing status, money, or both, though Itachi knew that was far from the truth. The few times that Itachi had gotten into an argument with Sakura, Fugaku had seemed almost hopeful that it meant an end to their relationship. Yet each time, they pulled through, and the relationship was still going strong, much to his father's dismay.

"Itachi!" Mikoto emerged from the kitchen and squeezed Fugaku's stiff shoulders. "Are you headed to Sakura's? Please give her these fruits - they're fresh."

He stepped forward and accepted a heavy bag. Inside were all of her favorites. "I'm sure she will enjoy them."

Her grip on Fugaku's shoulders had not loosened as his shoulders tensed. "Should we be expecting you for dinner?"

"I'm afraid not," he replied. It was an answer that was to be expected since he spent less time at the Uchiha Compound these days. With that he bowed his head in respect. "I'm off, father, mother."

Mikoto offered a friendly wave. "Have fun! Just make sure you come home to say goodbye before you head out for your mission."

"Yes, mother."

As the door closed behind him, he suppressed his chakra signature. As soon as he did so, Itachi could hear his parents start bickering at the table.

"Dear, can't you just be happy for him? He's finally found someone he likes."

"A civilian family, Mikoto. She'll add weakness to the bloodline. It doesn't matter if she's the Hokage's apprentice."

"Oh please, Fugaku, she's a smart young lady. And you know I want grandkids!"

Like a fierce warrior, his mother would defend him until the very end. Unlike Fugaku, Mikoto had cried tears of joy upon finding out that her son had finally found love. He closed his eyes, sighed, and quickly made his way to his second home.

* * *

As soon as Itachi opened the door to the apartment, he was greeted by the comforting smell of rice and stew and the sight of the cramped yet cozy living space. For the past 2 years, he had slowly moved into Sakura's apartment. At first, he left behind sweatshirts and hair ties. There were now two towels that hung in the bathroom, divided sides for clothes in the closet, and a bookshelf with their favorite stories lined up neatly inside. He slipped off his shoes, making sure to put them in an empty space on the shoe rack. He then hung his set of keys on the wall next to Sakura's before making his way across the living room. The warm buttery light of the late afternoon sun streamed into the small kitchen. As expected, Sakura was busy with a bag of fresh groceries, peeling carrots and chopping potatoes, all while humming along with the radio that sat on the counter.

"Oh, Itachi?" She turned around at the sound of his feet hitting the tiled floor. "Perfect timing! Help me wash the dishes? And also set the timer for an hour."

"Of course," he nodded, padding over to kiss her on the cheek before setting down his mother's bag of fruits on the kitchen table. He reached for the timer, setting it to 60 minutes before walking to the sink and picking up a soapy sponge. As he scrubbed a dirty cup that he'd left in the sink last night, Itachi reckoned he could get used to domestic life with Sakura. Maybe one day, when they were married and ready to start a family, he would quit ANBU and help raise their children. Ideally, they would have 2 or 3, depending on Sakura. He could imagine them already, with inky black hair and eyes, running around the house and driving them crazy, but they'd still be loved to bits and pieces. Perhaps they would take their children out to the training grounds to nurture and guide them during the discovery of their powers. Even better, he could potentially become a teacher at the Academy for work after quitting ANBU. That way, he could be near their kids and watch over them.

Neither he nor Sakura were foreign to these ideas; they'd had several discussions about their future, and sometimes, while falling asleep, they would come up with names for their imaginary kids. Personally, he was leaning towards the name 'Kazumi' for the first child.

"Are these from Mikoto?" Her voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he turned to find that she was poking through the bag he'd brought. "Oooh, how did she know I've been craving pears?" A satisfying _crunch_ filled the air as she bit into the fruit.

"It was a lucky guess," he smirked, rinsing the sudsy dinnerware.

"You told her, didn't you," she accused, her mouth stuffed with bites of pear. "I could've bought these myself."

"They were a gift," he assured. "She wants you to eat them."

"Ok," she sighed, walking over to the sink and holding out the pear in front of his mouth. He accepted her invitation and bit down into the fruit, savoring the refreshing, watery flavor.

"Tell her thanks," she mumbled, taking another bite.

When the last dish was washed and the final ingredients for the stew were tossed into the pot to cook, they both settled on the couch, nibbling on the gifted fruit while watching a cheesy soap opera that had just started streaming on T.V. They watched with mild interest as the heroine walked in on her love interest kissing another girl (the love interest was none other than the son of a powerful CEO). But of course, the kiss hadn't been consensual, and it had been a plot by the rival girl to incite jealousy in the heroine. And right when the heroine was down in the dumps, crying in a coffee shop, the love interest's controlling mother just _had _to bump into the heroine and tell her all the reasons why she was wrong for her son, and that they didn't have a future together.

As they watched the scene in which the vengeful mother was harshly criticizing the heroine for her poor background, Sakura couldn't help but let out a giggle.

"_Don't ever talk to me or my son ever again,"_ the mother in the drama hissed.

"_N-no, this can't be happening!"_ The heroine sobbed loudly into a napkin and slumped to the ground.

"The mom reminds me of your dad," she snickered as she pressed herself against him. They watched as said mother over-dramatically tossed a cup of water onto the heroine.

"Hn." She wasn't wrong. In many ways, being with Sakura had made him realize how controlling and demanding his father was. And the thought of having a future together with his girlfriend constantly weighed on his mind. Was it ok to be selfish and ignore his father's demands? As difficult as he was, they were still family, and Itachi wished he could make his father happy. Eventually, in the far off future, he might come around to their relationship, but Fugaku was as stubborn as a mule, and would give resistance every step of the way. But if he caved and left Sakura, he would undoubtedly resent Fugaku for cutting out the person he loved most in his life. While it seemed as if the couple only had two options, Itachi knew there was always a third; he could always leave his surname behind and break off from the clan. That way, he and his family would no longer be obligated to be in contact with each other anymore. But that option would have drastic consequences, and Itachi loved his family too much to cause that kind of heartbreak (not that the other two options were that great, either). Even though the Uchiha was a brilliant tactician, he was at a loss for what path to take.

"Itachi?" He blinked to see a dainty hand with painted fingertips wave in front of his face. "Earth to Itachi."

He looked over to see worried, emerald eyes darting across his face.

"Are you okay? You spaced out for a second. Do you have a fever?"

"Ah. I'm fine," he replied. He smiled, but it was clear she wasn't convinced.

"No, you're not ok," she objected. "You never space out." Her hand brushed stray strands of hair out of his face. "Was it because I joked about your father? If that's it, I'm sorry." She was no longer joking around, and her eyebrows were furrowed out of seriousness. Straightforward and honest, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

After a brief pause, Itachi finally responded. "It wasn't that."

She was sitting with a straight spine while facing him. "Then what was it?"

"My father was being … difficult again."

Her face tightened in acknowledgement. She knew exactly what he meant. The few times that she'd visited his house after they had started dating were awkward. Fugaku had grilled her over the history of her family and her role at the hospital. She'd been interrogated about her network and connections, as well as what political power she might have over a hot pot dinner. And while Mikoto had been trying to teach her how to cook a dish, Fugaku stood on the side, eyeing her every move like a vulture. Itachi could still remember how Sasuke had pulled her aside later that evening to apologize for their father's behavior.

"It's ok," she said. "We'll get through this together." She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed, interlacing their fingers and rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. "Let's talk to him once you come back from your mission."

His gaze softened at her understanding, and he nodded in agreement. Slowly, he traced her jawline, stopping at her chin. He applied the lightest of pressure, and she immediately responded, drooping her eyelids and meeting his lips with hers. It was a simple, tender kiss, that they shared, but it somehow managed to lift his spirits.

He'd already decided. There was nobody else in the world that he'd rather share the rest of his life with. No obstacle would stand in the way of that.

_Ding!_ The timer in the kitchen went off, but they ignored it. Instead, they just looked at each other for several seconds.

"Let's eat," she said at last, with a smile on her face. "And we'll worry about your father later."

* * *

The next morning, bright and early, Itachi found it difficult to get out of bed. He was comfortable spooning Sakura in their shared bed and didn't want to go on the mission he'd been assigned. He'd indulged himself in her body last night, and wasn't ready to break the comfortable spell that had settled over them. The evidence of their coupling lay strewn around the bed, too much of a hassle to remove during the heat of things. Nevertheless, Sakura coaxed him out of bed by rolling away, dodging his cage-like arms, and yanking the blanket off his body. He was further convinced when she announced that she'd be taking a shower, and he was free to join if he wanted. He was thankful that Sakura had been so proactive with getting out of bed because it left them enough time to explore each other's bodies a final time in the shower before he had to leave.

Then they both got dressed, though Itachi relished in making the task so much harder for Sakura by kissing her neck and shoulders from behind while sliding his hands up and down her waist.

"Itachi," she complained while rolling her eyes. "Hurry up and put your clothes on. Did you pack everything you need?"

He nodded, letting his hands wander further upward as he inhaled the smell of her floral body wash.

"Hey, I'm serious," she said, playfully slapping his hands away. "You're going to be late if you plan on going back home to see your parents first."

"They would understand if I didn't show up. The Hokage especially." He let his hands travel south, filling his hands with her lovely rump and giving a light squeeze.

After a red-faced and speechless Sakura whipped around, it was only then that he smirked and slipped his shirt over his head. Even after all these years, he still took delight in teasing her.

She nearly shoved him out the door once he was prepared for his mission.

"I'll meet you at the gate to see you off," she said. "See you in a bit."

Gently, he tapped the seal on her forehead. "See you in a bit."

* * *

The house was eerily quiet as Itachi glided through the halls in search of his parents. He found his mother brewing tea in the kitchen.

"Good morning."

"Oh, Itachi, good morning," she smiled. The corners of her mouth seemed tight and forced. "Did Sakura enjoy the fruit?"

"Yes, she sends her thanks."

"That's wonderful," she beamed, sounding a little too chipper as she held out her arms. "How about you, are you ready for your mission? You have everything you need?"

He nodded in affirmation and returned his mother's embrace. "Where is father?"

The moment he said that, Mikoto's face twitched. "He's outside in the garden."

Strange. He bowed respectfully, excusing himself to go see Fugaku.

As he walked past his mother, she caught his wrist. A strained look appeared on her normally sunny countenance. "Be patient with him, dear."

Itachi sighed, prepared to hear another lecture about how he was bringing disgrace to the Uchiha name because he had spent the night at the Hokage's apprentice's apartment once again. He slid the door open to the garden to find his father sitting by the koi pond, eyes closed and arms crossed, feet planted staunchly into the floor.

"Father, I'm leaving for my mission." Itachi bowed, his tone light.

"Hmph. Good. How long is it for? A week?"

"Yes, father."

"Hn." Fugaku opened his eyes slowly. "Itachi, when you return, we will begin discussion of an arranged marriage with Uchiha Kaori."

Itachi blinked several times. "I do not know what you mean."

"An arranged marriage," he repeated, pushing off the bench he was sitting on and assuming his full height. "I will hear no opposition to my decision. It is time you put an end to this game with Haruno Sakura."

"Game?" His own voice sounded foreign.

"You are nearing 30," Fugaku stated matter-of-factly. "You must decide what is best for you. Haruno Sakura may be young and beautiful, but that does not guarantee a stable or happy marriage. There is too much risk in bringing an outsider into the clan."

Twitching fingers clenched into a fist before releasing. "There is more to her than youth and looks."

"She does not understand how our clan works, Itachi. As clan heir, you must do what is best for the clan. There is no room to be frivolous."

Itachi remained quiet. While he knew the patriarch didn't approve of their relationship, he did not expect for him to push back at this moment.

"She taints your reputation," Fugaku continued, "and the clan elders are watching. I have been more than generous in recent years, turning a blind eye to your skipped meetings and lack of responsibility. You've had your fun. But it is your time lead the clan and carry on our legacy."

"I fail to see how she taints my reputation." Miffed, he narrowed his eyes slightly.

Fugaku shook his head. "Sharing the sharingan with outsiders is unwise and unfavored. I refuse to sit by idly when the future of the clan is in question."

"Unwise and unfavored," Itachi echoed. "You would spurn your own grandchildren," he stated, reading between the lines. He always knew that his father was opposed to allowing outsiders into the clan, but hearing it directly from him was something else.

"I will not allow a half-breed Uchiha to walk these halls."

Calm, black eyes flashed with an edge of steel. "If I taint the Uchiha name and legacy by being with her, then I will release them," he threatened, narrowing his eyes. "I will cut off any affiliation with the Uchiha if my happiness is such a burden on this clan."

Fugaku's expression darkened at his insolence. "Listen, boy, you do not speak to me that way. I will not be cowed by these baseless threats. You will marry Uchiha Kaori, and that is final."

"I will marry Haruno Sakura," Itachi responded in a clipped tone, "with or without your approval, and I am happy to do so without the Uchiha name."

His father's face flushed angrily, eyes glinting red. His teeth were grit together, and his fingers tensed. Heat rolled off his squared shoulders in waves. Never had Itachi ever so blatantly spited his father. Just as Fugaku's mouth opened, ready to continue the argument, an ANBU soldier appeared beside them, one knee on the ground.

"Apologies for the interruption, but the Hokage asks that you be on your way for the mission."

"Ah." Time had unexpectedly flown by. Itachi turned towards the newcomer. "Lead the way."

It was definitely a bad idea to leave things between him and his father as they were, but they had no choice. Perhaps the weeks time in which he was gone would allow his father to calm down and rethink his words. But deep down, Itachi knew that Fugaku was the type to stick with his guns and not give in. Especially when things had gone this far. He eyed his father one last time and bowed, doing his best to leave things on a diplomatic note.

"I will return in a week. Please reconsider."

* * *

At the town's gate, Itachi met up with Sakura as well as the Hokage.

"Apologies for the delay." He kneeled, head down to show respect for the Hokage.

"Pfft. That was an excuse," she laughed good-naturedly. "I heard that your father wants to set up an arranged marriage for you, eh? I figured he'd be giving you a hard time about it."

Onyx met emerald at those words. She'd heard from Tsunade.

"Well anyway, it's a simple reconnaissance mission, as you read in your scroll. It shouldn't be too dangerous, but I came to wish you good luck anyway."

It went without saying that the real reason why Tsunade had bothered showing up at all was to avoid the piles of paperwork back in her office. Undoubtedly, Shizune would hunt her down later. But calling an ANBU member to collect him and diffuse the escalating tension was still much appreciated, and he made a mental note to gift her a fine bottle of sake upon his return.

"I appreciate your kindness. I will complete the mission successfully."

"Good, good." The Hokage waved her hand. "Then, I'm headed back to town."

The couple watched as she sauntered off, disappearing into a crowd of people.

"I made you some snacks," Sakura said quietly, handing him a box. "Eat them when you're hungry."

"Thank you."

They stood at the gate, holding each others hands, the idea of Fugaku setting up an arranged marriage looming between them. Three years of dating had gone by, and now, when they were getting serious and planning out the future, a wrench was thrown into their plans. It was a wrench that they saw coming, but it hurt nonetheless.

"Itachi - " Her expression was troubled, and Itachi hated seeing her that way.

He cut her off with a searing kiss, pulling her close and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. He wanted to clearly convey his emotions - he wasn't giving up on them. For a moment she hesitated, but in the next, she was embracing him with the same intensity, her fingers desperate to find purchase as they yanked at the back of his ANBU armor.

Tongues intertwined, they kissed each other with all they had.

Leaving for a mission had never hurt so much before.

"I will not allow the arranged marriage to happen," he murmured when they finally broke for air.

Sakura choked back her tears and put on a brave smile. "Good, because I wasn't going to let it happen either."

They hugged one last time before Itachi crossed the gate and left Konoha soil.

"I'll be waiting for you here in a week," she called. "Don't let me wait too long."

He smirked. "I would not dream of it."

"I love you," she whispered, letting the wind carry her words.

Though after three years, Itachi still had trouble with saying the words 'I love you,' he knew without a doubt that Sakura knew of his feelings. He slipped on his mask and disappeared into the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura flipped a page in the results of a physical exam of a patient, taking care to check each word and statistic printed on the page for abnormalities. Despite herself, she yawned loudly, looking out the window and seeing nothing but grey skies and thunder clouds gathering. Hopefully Itachi was going to be okay getting home. She glanced at her watch. He wasn't due to return for another 2 hours, so she resumed reading the report, silently hoping the next hour and a half would pass a little faster, and that the rain would lighten up.

* * *

The rain never let up. In fact, it seemed to pour down harder, backed by the distant crackling of thunder. The constant pitter-patter of droplets hitting the glass doors drowned out the hum of electricity from the overhead lights. Looking out at the rain and then back at her umbrella, Sakura hastily ran back upstairs to grab a spare as well as a fresh set of clothes. It would be bad if Itachi caught a cold, or worse, pneumonia. Hopefully, a shop owner would let them take shelter and give Itachi somewhere to change into a clean sweatshirt and pants.

"Off to pick up Itachi?" Tsunade caught her on her way out of the hospital.

"Yes," she replied cheerfully. "The rain's getting pretty bad, and I don't want him walking around in wet clothes."

A gentle smile touched her mentor's lips. She was undoubtedly one of the biggest supporters of their relationship in Konoha. "Alright, off you go. Be careful out there."

"Yes, Tsunade-shishou!"

Torrential rain flooded the streets, soaking Sakura up to her ankles as she navigated through town. Her poor umbrella shook violently on its pole, threatening to fall apart in her hands. Nothing but the faint glow of nearby streetlights guided her way. The roads were devoid of people, and Sakura couldn't blame them. Nobody in their right mind would leave the comfort of a warm, dry building right now, but no matter the circumstances, Itachi never failed to show up at the gates of Konoha on time. She couldn't turn around now. So there she stood, alone, at the gates of the village. In the far off distance, lightning struck a patch of trees, sending a shiver down her spine. She glanced at her watch.

_He'll show up anytime now,_ she thought. _He's never been late. _

She stood there patiently as the clock ran past his arrival time, first, by five minutes and then by ten.

_He's probably caught in the rain,_ she told herself. Itachi was, without exaggeration, one of the strongest ninjas she knew, so it was unlikely that he was caught in any trouble. Maybe he was stuck in the mud, she told herself, even though in the back of her mind, she knew that Itachi would take to the trees if there was mud on the ground.

Time creeped by even slower, and if possible, the rain was pouring even harder. Cold water seeped into her shoes, biting at her toes and sending shivers throughout her frame. The umbrella did little to shield her body from the rain; wind gusted through the air, spraying droplets of water on her legs and torso. That, however, was the least of her concerns. She was getting worried about him.

At the thirty minute mark, her head snapped up. Though faint, she could sense him approaching. But before a wave of relief could pass through her, a gut feeling told her something was wrong. While the chakra signature was indeed getting closer, it progressed forward at a painfully slow pace. Tears inexplicably dripping from her eyes, she let the umbrellas and clothes she'd brought along splash into the river at her feet. Stinging droplets of water quickly engulfed her, drenching her from head to toe, and melted together with her tears.

At first, her gait was slow - almost a stumble forward. And the moment the chakra signature faded out from her mental radar, her heart almost stopped.

"ITACHI!"

Pouring chakra into her stride, she bolted forward. The slide-on-shoes on her feet slipped off, each flying off in different directions as her bare feet trampled the ground. Jagged rocks and splintered wood were minor inconveniences as she honed in on his weak signal, but the mud was slowing her down. She ran up a tree, flying from branch to branch to avoid sinking into the ground. As she dashed forward, nothing but grey and green blurred into her vision. So when she finally saw red, her stomach churned.

There, slumped against a tree, was a bloody, battered, and bruised Itachi. His beautiful, silky hair was matted against his face, and his armor was completely torn up. Weak breaths escaped his pale lips as his eyelids fluttered open at her presence. His deep charcoal eyes, normally sharp and attentive, were now so dull.

"Itachi…"

Her eyes swept over his body, letting out a horrified gasp when she saw the deep slash that started from his chest and stretched to his abdomen as well as his broken leg. His arms hung limply from his sides - one of them stuck out at an uncomfortable angle. Her breath quickened, bringing her to the verge of hyperventilation. Tears flooded down her cheeks as she assessed the damage, thinking about all the pain he must be going through. It was a miracle he was even alive.

"S-Sakura." Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

Hearing his ragged voice immediately snapped her to her senses. In that moment, her tears stopped.

"I'm here," she whispered, pushing warm, comforting chakra into his body. Green chakra explored his body, flooding his veins. Her chest sank as she realized how much blood he had lost. "I've got you. It'll be okay."

Without a second thought, she tore a strip of fabric off her midsection, using it to wipe away the blood spilling from his mouth. Even if her mind was numb from shock, her body still knew what to do.

There were so many things to fix, and she definitely couldn't do it out in the woods in one sitting. To fix him completely would take a whole team of people. Small things, she could definitely heal. But they weren't worth her chakra right now. The biggest injury drawing her attention was the massive gash across his chest. It was a grisly sight to behold, even worse when analyzing it with chakra; the blade that ripped his flesh had come dangerously close to his heart.

Kunai in hand, Sakura wielded it with practiced precision, cutting away his shirt and armor for better access to the wound. Thankfully, the tree's foliage was dense enough to prevent a flood of water from crashing on them as she labored.

His chest was bleeding too much, and it would take too much time and chakra to mend everything; he might bleed out before she could even get him to a hospital.

The only alternative she could think of was going to be painful and risky, but it would stop the bleeding.

"Itachi, I'm going to need you to trust me on this." She reached into her pocket to retrieve an alcohol wipe. Carefully, she ran it up and down the kunai, making sure to clean every surface of it. She used another wipe to remove the blood surrounding the laceration as best as she could. "Everything I'm about to do is to help you. Understand?" She held her kunai in front of his sagging eyelids as he coughed. "I know you're tired, but I need you to heat this up."

Wordlessly, he held his fingers to his lips, and blasted the blade with fire. His chakra sputtered once more.

"Thank you." She ripped off another chunk of her shirt, wrung it dry, and held it in front of his lips. "It's going to hurt, but I'll do my best to numb as much of it as possible."

He opened his mouth willingly and bit down on the wadded up fabric, watching her hold the heated blade with one hand while the other held his chest, sending out numbing chakra into his torso.

"Are you ready?"

"Hn." He shut his eyes as she brought the hot blade to his chest, holding it there for a few seconds at a time. She worked diligently, cauterizing the wound inch by inch. Beneath her fingers were tense muscles, undoubtedly in pain from the heat despite the numbing chakra. But he stayed silent, biting into the fabric in his mouth instead. The stress lines beneath his eyes grew deeper.

A third of the way through the cut, Sakura held out the knife again, which had cooled rapidly in the frigid, rainy weather. "I need you to heat this up again."

He did just that, conjuring up another fireball for her to heat up the blade.

And she went right back to work, stemming the blood flow with the hot kunai. As much as she wanted to stop and think of another way to solve the problem, she couldn't; it was do or die. She heard no complaints from Itachi as she asked him to make one final fireball, allowing her to reach the end of the wound. It had been a painful process, but the Uchiha had finally stopped bleeding.

Quickly, she removed the cloth from his mouth, allowing him to gasp in a breath of fresh air. Sweat beaded at Itachi's hairline, and she wiped it away as she told him that the hardest part was over.

After, she focused on stitching his leg together to the best of her ability. There were too many small, splintered pieces, and it would take a lot of time, precision, and chakra to mend. All she could do now was reattach the outer layer of his bone cells, and hope someone back at the hospital could help work on the rest.

The pallor of his face was a sickly grey. It was clear that cauterizing the gash in his chest had taken a lot out of him.

"Akatsuki," Itachi coughed out. "Three of them caught me on my way back while I was low on chakra."

Green eyes darted out at the trees around them as she checked for foreign chakra. "Did they follow you?"

He shook his head, grunting softly as he did so. "I severely wounded each of them. They retreated."

Fighting off three Akatsuki members alone and living to tell the tale was unheard of. All that mattered at that time, though, was that he had survived. She hushed him, telling him to save his energy while she formed a makeshift splint out of a nearby branch. This time, she cut off the legs of her pants to create thick strings that could tie the splint to his leg.

"Okay, it's set." she exhaled. "That's the good news. The bad news is that you also dislocated your shoulder." She glanced at him. "I need to fix that right now."

Without even questioning her, he slumped his head to the side, allowing greater access to his shoulder.

"Take a deep breath, and I'll count to three."

He complied, inhaling shakily, as she flooded his shoulder with cold, numbing chakra. Her other hand steadied his torso.

"One…Two...Three."

She popped his shoulder back into place. He didn't yell or scream. His eyes simply drifted shut, leaving Sakura alone with his listless body.

* * *

"You said he fought off three Akatsuki members?" Even Tsunade herself was shocked, and stopped walking down the long corridors of the hospital. "By himself?"

Her apprentice nodded solemnly. "He wasn't followed, but it's a miracle he's still alive."

Tsunade shook her head, her eyes downcast. Under the flickering lights, her face was aged and weary. "It was just a reconnaissance mission. I didn't think that Akatsuki would be in the area. Had I known - "

"No." Sakura reached out and grabbed stone cold hands with her own. "It's not your fault. You didn't know. None of us could've known."

A pained look crossed the Hokage's face, and in that moment, Sakura could feel all the guilt she was experiencing. In hindsight, Itachi had unknowingly been sent on a suicide mission. She knew of their aspirations to get married and start a family; Tsunade was to be the godmother of their children. She knew better than anyone else how much the Uchiha and her apprentice loved each other. And now, it was scarily possible for all of those dreams to fade away. Not to mention, if the Uchiha clan lost their prodigy while he was in the hospital's care, there could be several complications to the Hokage's clan relations.

Even after bringing Itachi back to the hospital, he was not in the clear yet. He was passed out, mind most likely overwhelmed by the shock of the first aid treatment. It had been hard to detect, but they'd also discovered poison in his bloodstream after running a few tests, and it was sapping his energy.

"He's still alive," Sakura said, swallowing her grief. "That means there's still hope."

Tsunade stood, quiet for several moments. "We owe it to him to try our best. I owe it to him."

With that, she took off, purpose in each step, towards Itachi's operating room with Sakura close behind. They burst into the room to find Shizune tending to his wounds, wrapping them with bandages. IV bags of nutrients hung from a pole, their needles pressed securely into his arm.

"Shizune, what's his status?" Tsunade stood by, picking up and skimming a file on Itachi's medical history.

Said woman snipped the bandage roll she was holding and applied a strip firmly around his arm, a grave look in her eyes.

"The gash on his chest was particularly deep. I believe that the blade that cut him carried the poison. We've never seen this kind of poison before, but judging from the rate at which it's moving through his body, if we don't do anything about it, he will die within three days."

Only the airy pumping of the oxygen tank filled the air, as all three women first looked at the near-corpse on the table and then the weak ticks on the heart rate monitor.

"What about his leg?" Sakura asked.

"It's in bad shape, but with enough time, we can fix it," Shizune replied.

Sakura took a deep breath. "I will manage this patient's case. I'll start research into the poison. I'll see if it's possible to make an antidote, but with such a short timeline, I think we need to be prepared for a manual extraction." Sakura walked briskly through the room to grab the materials she would need. "Shizune, Tsunade-shishou, please, heal his chest and increase his blood count, too. We need to get his body into a condition that can handle the poison removal process. When we extract the poison, he could hurt himself."

Carefully, she took a few samples of his blood with a syringe, bottling them into test tubes.

"As his chest is being healed, I will send a team of two medics to operate on his leg. Most likely, we will need to cycle between several medic-nins to get all of his injuries fixed. I will find others to be on standby. From what I assessed earlier, it will take considerable effort to regenerate the proper bone cells and destroy the shards of broken bones in his leg with chakra. Please take an X-Ray of his leg when possible and send it to me. I'll be in the laboratory downstairs."

She looked at them both and licked her chapped lips. "We need to get everything done within the next 2 and a half days. The extraction will take several hours, as his entire body is infected."

The two women nodded solemnly, silently agreeing with her plan. Just as Sakura let the heavy doors slam behind her, she sensed their chakra enter Itachi's body. She could do nothing but trust their hands.

With nobody in sight, she slumped against the wall, squeezed her eyes shut, and exhaled. She wished circumstances were different. She wished he had caught her in his arms like he normally did. She wished they were at home, cuddling in bed or playing a round of shogi, even if Itachi inexplicably beat her every time. She wished she could snap her fingers, and he would instantly be healed. But the figure on the table and those surrounding it told her otherwise.

All of her bravado escaped her. Who was she kidding? She was just as scared as Tsunade and Shizune, if not more. Scared of what it might feel like to return to an empty home. Scared of what Sasuke might say if he heard that she couldn't save his brother. Scared of how she might beat herself up if she failed - was 56 hours even enough? She hadn't even been able to detect the poison. Granted, it was hidden extremely well in the bloodstream, but nevertheless the gut-wrenching sense of failure loomed over her. It felt like she was staring into a yawning, black abyss.

It had hurt to see Itachi lying there, motionless, on the table. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see on the back of her eyelids was how he'd looked while leaning against the tree where she found him. And now, seeing him strapped to so many different machines with a grim look on Tsunade and Shizune's faces made her feel guilty that she hadn't found him earlier. Her gut had told her something was off when Itachi didn't show up on time, and now she was paying for it. She mentally kicked herself; why hadn't she just followed her gut feeling? What would his situation be like if she'd found him earlier?

An irrational part of her was also angry at Tsunade despite her own words earlier. If only she had never sent Itachi out on that mission, he wouldn't be suffering. Maybe she could have found out that there would be Akatsuki in the area. Maybe none of this ever had to happen. But at the end of the day, she recognized this was irrational, and it wouldn't be right to take her anger out on Tsunade.

There was nobody to blame but the Akatsuki

A heart-wrenching sob nearly escaped her, but she stubbornly choked it down, focusing on composing herself. Now was not the time. The quiet beeping of the heart rate monitor behind the heavy doors reminded her of what was at stake.

Every moment she spent beating herself up was another moment in which Itachi drew closer to death. Crying was not an option. Neither was anxiously worrying about the future. Disparaging herself would accomplish nothing. She had to face the cold, hard truth of the situation. Itachi was dying, and his life was in her hands. She prayed that the anger and frustration she felt would fuel her research, and that her best would be enough. It had to be.

Quickly, she ran down to the ground floor, asking the receptionist to contact 2 medic-nins she'd worked closely with before and keep 6 others on call, and to send them all to Operating Room A.

Then, without wasting time, her feet carried her up the stairwell and into a state-of-the-art laboratory where she began preparing her samples and picking out textbooks on poisons from the bookshelf.

She would not let Itachi die.

* * *

Sakura had never been so disgusted in her life. The poison in Itachi's body, as she discovered, must have been developed by a twisted mind. Essentially, it would paralyze the victim's body, and would lead to death when the victim's respiratory system stopped functioning or the heart failed to beat, whichever came first. It had taken a little more than 12 hours to fully understand the poison, and understanding it only made her feel worse about Itachi's situation.

She looked up from her samples at the chemical structures she'd drawn on a nearby whiteboard. Making an antidote wouldn't be possible with the materials they had at the hospital, and ordering them would take too long, which only reconfirmed the tight deadline they'd set for themselves. His entire body had to be healed first. Manual extraction was the only solution. Two and a half days was all they had to heal his body before the poison took over, and now they were down to two. Time flowed a little too fast for Sakura's taste.

She took another glance at the X-Ray of Itachi's leg. If everything went well, the medics upstairs would finish their tasks within the time frame, leaving them just enough time to perform the poison extraction.

The watch on her wrist beeped. It was time to go back upstairs. She wanted to attend to Itachi for a bit. While she had to save her chakra for the poison extraction, she could still help out here and there.

Outside of the lab, she passed off her handwritten notes on the poison to a nurse, who would take them to Tsunade's office. Hopefully, they could develop an antidote in case if they ever came across this poison again.

Entering the operation room, Sakura noticed that Tsunade and Shizune were long gone, having used up the vast majority of their chakra. They were replaced by two other well-respected medics at the hospital. The two working on his leg had also been switched out, with the new specialists carefully mending his split bones back together.

They all looked exhausted, having stood there for hours on end, so Sakura dismissed them, offering to take over until the next medics arrived. There was less than 15 minutes to their shifts anyway. They protested for a bit, but ultimately conceded, heading downstairs to call in the next teams and then leave for home.

Once they were all gone, she sent her chakra through his body, updating herself on his condition. His chest was healing a little slowly; the muscles and tissue had been mending at a moderate speed with the assistance of chakra, but it wasn't fast enough. It'd been necessary to be delicate with the tissue around his heart, which had slowed the process down. His leg was coming along quickly, though. A good portion of the broken bone was now reattached, and the two medics from earlier had nearly finished cleaning out his leg of broken bones. His shoulder had also been repaired. It pained her to feel that the poison was now taking a firm hold of his limbs. Despite how healthy he looked on the outside, his body said otherwise.

Green chakra hummed at her fingertips as she decided she would boost progress with the knife wound. With her precise control, she could speed his recovery along much faster. Her energy rushed through his chest and abdomen, interlacing muscle fibers and reinforcing them. She worked meticulously, until the specialists who'd been contacted to work next arrived.

* * *

Finally, Itachi's body was healed. His chest wound was gone - only a faint scar signified that it had ever been there - and the bone in his right leg was strong once again. His blood count had been restored to a healthy level. Everything about him was nearly perfect except for the deadly poison paralyzing his body. Everyone was preparing for the poison extraction, and there she was, sitting beside Sasuke. She had stepped out of the operating room to speak with him.

Sasuke, who always tried to be calm and collected, was now visibly distraught, hunched over with his chin on his interlaced fingers as he was updated on Itachi's current situation. The brother who he looked up to and believed invincible had been and still was on the brink of death.

The pair sat in silence, studying the specks on the ground. Sakura was exhausted. She hadn't slept for the past 56 plus hours, running on nothing but coffee and sheer willpower. The bags under her eyes were heavy and dark. There was about a half a day left for them to save Itachi.

The younger Uchiha had silently acknowledged them, handing her a cold water bottle she could press her cheek to. A sigh of relief escaped her as skin made contact with the refreshing bottle.

"So then," Sasuke asked, "How will you cure his poison?"

She picked at her fingernail. "It poisons everything from the neck down. So I'll have to go through each part of his body to remove it. It'll be hard because we were waiting for his injuries to heal and the poison took hold. We'd need to make sure to extract all of it."

"Hn." Sasuke crossed his arms. "No antidote?"

She shook her head. "Not enough time."

"Will he die?"

After a heavy breath, she finally replied. "Realistically, very likely … but I won't let it happen." The words hung between them. She would cry, but there were no tears within her to do so. She was so emotionally exhausted, sleep-deprived, and sore. The head on her shoulders felt like a bowling ball. For the past several hours, she juggled her typical hospital duties and patients along with managing Itachi's case, running around the hospital to be where she was needed.

Sasuke stared blankly at the red sweater and khaki shorts she wore under an ill-fitting lab coat. The pickings from the lost-and-found box had been slim upon her return to the hospital.

"How are you?"

A weak laugh was choked out. "I'm ok."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "You're lying."

She sniffled and smiled bitterly. "Yeah, but it's nothing compared to what he's going through."

"You've been awake for a while," he observed. That was an understatement.

"Yep."

He studied her face, probably staring at the bags beneath her eyes or the greasy hair framing her face. "Fifteen minutes."

She looked at him, confused. "Fifteen minutes?"

"Can you spare fifteen minutes?"

She hesitated. "Yeah."

"Rest," he commanded. "So you can focus during the operation."

Her dumbfounded yet touched expression caused him to roll his eyes.

"It's so you won't mess up on Itachi."

The static in her brain was compelling her to take up on his offer. And it was nice to know that in his own way, Sasuke was looking out for her.

"Yeah, yeah." She let her head droop down, which felt so good because it'd been active and alert for so long. "Wake me up in fifteen."

"Hn."

She was out like a light.

* * *

Sakura's sleep was plagued with nothing but nightmares of blood, so the sensation of being shaken awake was welcomed.

Dazed, she blinked quickly, trying to get her bearings. Drool leaked out of the corner of her mouth, and her head had somehow made its way to Sasuke's shoulder.

"W-what?" She nearly fell out of her chair.

"Wake up," he hissed. "My parents are here."

Alert, she smoothed out her clothes and wiped the drool from her mouth. "I thought you said you'd wake me up after fifteen minutes." Her fingers carded through her tangled hair. "Now I look like a slob."

"That _was_ fifteen minutes," he whispered back angrily. "They came in when I was supposed to wake you up."

"Do I look ok?" She turned to Sasuke, hoping that she was mostly presentable. That would be hard, since flecks of mud still stained her skin and hair.

"Hn."

Super helpful, he was. She huffed in annoyance as they both stood to greet his parents.

But before she could formally greet them, Mikoto cut her off, panic visible in her eyes.

"I heard he got hurt. Is he ok?"

The image of his mangled body under the tree flashed in front of her eyes again, yet Sakura forced a calm, professional visage.

"His body is now in stable condition, but he's infected with poison. We'll perform the final operation soon."

Behind Mikoto was Fugaku, who was eyeing Sasuke.

"Well, we really appreciate all the help you're giving him. We couldn't thank you enough. How long do we have to wait before we can see him?" The Uchiha Matriarch wiped a tear from her eye with a delicate finger.

"Half a day at most."

"We'll be waiting here, then. Please let us know when you're done."

Sakura nodded, and waved goodbye as Mikoto and Sasuke walked to a corner of the waiting room to camp out for the next several hours. When she turned back, the Uchiha patriarch loomed over her. His face revealed; he apparently had a lot of the same habits Itachi used to have, like subtly setting his jaw, narrowing his eyes just a fraction, or staring at the ground when he felt a complicated emotion. The usual strength in his gaze was broken. Disbelief that his son could possibly be in his current state was apparent. Fugaku, who held a tight grip over his emotions, was losing control. And today, she could read him like an open book.

If the man could cry, this was it. He opened his mouth, struggling to form a sentence. The pink-haired doctor simply stood there, waiting for him to find the right words.

"Please," he said at last, the normal steel to his voice gone. "Just help my son." His request was simple. Fugaku was only human.

Sakura reached out and squeezed his calloused hand reassuringly like how she did with any other parent whose child was hospitalized, and gave him the most hopeful smile she could manage. They stood there for several moments, seeking comfort in one another.

As a voice crackled over the intercom, calling Sakura to return to the operating room, she let go after one final squeeze. It was time. She turned and strode off towards her destination.

* * *

The austere lighting haloed Itachi's body as she entered. The heart rate monitor displayed a pulse much slower than before, and the oxygen machine forced air into his lungs. Her assistants were scurrying around the room making final preparations.

She tied up her hair and methodically scrubbed her hands with soap under hot water. In a few hours, Itachi's fate would be sealed. She inhaled a deep breath, holding it for 10 seconds, forcing her jumpy heart rate to slow down. And again, she inhaled and held her breath for 10 seconds before releasing. Delicate eyelids slid back to reveal intense, focused, and determined green.

"Let's begin."


	3. Chapter 3

Waiting was a scary game, Fugaku realized. The passing time only amplified the stress that came with waiting. He didn't know what news to expect, and each second that ticked by only made him more anxious as all kinds of thoughts and possibilities ran through his head. Sasuke had mentioned that the operation would be dangerous, but it was the only solution to the poison coursing through Itachi's veins.

Hours passed, and there was still no word from the operating room. Fugaku supposed no news was good news - it meant that the doctors and medics were still trying, and most importantly, it meant his son was still fighting. The three Uchiha sat there in silence. Mikoto, with nothing to do, reached into the bag of fruit she'd brought, and began cutting an apple. She accidentally pricked herself on the tip of the knife in her absentmindedness. Alarmed, Fugaku snatched the knife away, asking the receptionist if a medic could be spared to heal his wife's cut. The receptionist said no, but offered a band-aid and an alcohol wipe from a drawer instead, saying that those tools should suffice. Fugaku offered a stiff thank you and returned to his seat, swiftly cleaning Mikoto's wound and then wrapping it with the band-aid. He then began cutting the apple himself, and split it into thirds, offering the bigger slices to his wife and son.

They each nibbled at their respective slices, watching patients fill the waiting room, ride the elevator upon getting called, and then leave a while later. This happened several times.

And each time a staff member walked out into the lobby, three pairs of eyes shifted to see who it was that came out. None of them were Sakura, so their eyes slid back down to the ground in front of them.

He sat there quietly as his wife fell asleep on his shoulder, and his son slumped back into his chair and nodded off. But he remained alert, waiting for news. He was awake when they roused, offering them water to quench their thirst and fruit to ease their hunger. And then, they all continued to wait together. Barely a word was exchanged between them. Only the clock above their heads ticked loudly, counting down the time until they would know whether or not Itachi would live or die.

The time gave Fugaku plenty of time to reflect, and in that time he realized that he had misjudged Sakura horribly, and he couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in his chest. It was one he never felt often - guilt.

To be quite honest, he'd written off the message he'd received from the hospital, which said that Itachi was gravely wounded and would remain there for the next several days, as a mistake. His son Itachi was a shinobi on an entirely different level from everyone else. He was not the type to be found half-dead against a tree with almost no chakra. He thought it had been either a mistake, or some kind of ploy for Itachi to stay away from home, therefore avoiding his meeting with Uchiha Kaori.

But when Sasuke had found the message and recognized the script as Sakura's handwriting, the household had been thrown into a panic. Sasuke vouched for her, saying that she was by all means a perfectionist when it came to her medical duties, and would not lie or make a mistake with a message as important as this, which could only mean that Itachi had indeed been found half-dead against a tree with no chakra, and was awaiting his fate at the hospital. After reasoning this out, his face had paled, and he ran off to the hospital first despite the patriarch's protests.

Once Sasuke had left the house, Mikoto sat with Fugaku for a serious conversation. She had blatantly asked him if he even cared about their son's life. After all, he was still sitting there calmly and sipping at his tea. He responded, saying that while he cared, he did not trust Sakura, and this was no doubt a ruse created her and their son to escape his clan duties, and they therefore had no reason to leave for the hospital. Exasperatedly, his wife snapped back, saying that even if their son did not care much for being the heir, it was awful to assume that a message as drastic as this was false. He was just as human as everyone else, and out in the field, anything was possible. Even their son, who was an elite shinobi, could get hurt under the right circumstances. She'd begged him to throw away his stubborn Uchiha pride for a moment and look at the situation realistically. They were a family first and foremost, and needed to go to the hospital to see him.

He remained quiet, skeptical until a slug summon appeared on their table with a personal note from the Hokage, who offered her deepest condolences, and promised that the hospital was doing everything in its power to heal him.

Death was the shinobi's trade, and Fugaku knew just as well as any other shinobi that on a mission, anything could happen. It was normal to be injured and maimed. That was the very nature of their work. But he still had a hard time believing it. The Uchiha, Itachi especially, were too good for death. When he'd been hit by the realization that Itachi was actually hospitalized after reading the Hokage's note, all of the preconceptions he'd been developing for the past few years quickly began to crumble. His son was close to dying.

Deep down, beyond his surface level accusations of Sakura's greed for status, he had suspected his son's relationship with her was another form of rebellion against his destiny as the head of the Uchiha clan. Itachi was going to be the best clan leader the Uchiha had ever seen, and Fugaku would not allow him to lose sight of that. Naturally, the pressure on his son was massive, as he had been educated day in and day out on the inner workings of the clan and its history. His youth had been invested in one thing and one thing only - to be the best - and it had paid off, his talents developing far faster than anyone expected. And naturally, he would need a partner just as impressive as he was. In the past, Itachi had been introduced to several potential partners the clan elders had approved of, and had refused all of them without a second glance. That never discouraged other Uchiha women from trying to gain the clan heir's favor. So, it had stricken Fugaku as peculiar that he would enter a relationship with Sakura, who came from a no-name family and was teammates with Sasuke. It was all a little too convenient, and was probably just another step beyond ditching clan meetings by taking on mission after mission. To Fugaku, they were simply two acquaintances who'd made a deal. It had made perfect sense to him to imagine that the Hokage's apprentice was just another, better reason to leave the house and his duties, as well as postpone any other marriage meetings. And when Itachi had promised marriage with the girl, Fugaku had considered that a strategy to shift focus to Sasuke as the future clan leader, since the elder son was too stubborn to settle down and comply.

But now? Now, he wasn't so sure.

After seeing her red, puffy eyes, accentuated by deep shadows, and her disheveled appearance and unmatched clothes, he could tell the girl hadn't slept or gone home in a long time. She looked awful and smelled strongly of coffee, undoubtedly pushing herself to the limit while shouldering the monumental task of healing Itachi. He imagined that no mere acquaintance would go to these lengths to ensure his son's survival. The physical toll was evident with her appearance. Yet he was surprised when she had grasped his hand and offered hope and strength while there had been so little to begin with.

She should've hated him, or disliked him at least. He probably didn't deserve the kindness she had shown. Fugaku had no doubt that she'd heard the worst of his criticisms and accusations against her, but she had comforted him, promising that Itachi would be healed in their wordless exchange.

He had not expected such spirit from her, and he wondered about her past. Admittedly, he still didn't know much about her aside from the fact that she came from a civilian family, was the Hokage's apprentice, and was Sasuke's team mate. He never took much interest in learning about her.

So as the sun set outside, Fugaku broke the silence and asked Sasuke to tell him about Sakura, of whom he knew little about. He simply sat there, absorbing the information and stories that his son recounted. It was then that he truly understood her stubborn, steadfast spirit, and held a new kind of respect for her. She wanted nothing more than to be able to stand by her teammates' side and protect them as they would for her, and had poured all of her energy into mastering her craft and fighting skills. She had built herself from nothing, saved her teammates several times, and was now close to surpassing even Tsunade.

Sakura was not the devious, crafty girl he'd thought her to be. Now, Fugaku could see what Itachi had seen in her - a loyal, prideful, and stubbornly strong woman. Perhaps Mikoto was right - maybe Itachi truly liked this girl. Maybe their relationship was real, and not just a fabrication to escape duties. And maybe - just maybe - his relationship with his son would be smoother if he hadn't questioned it and the girl's intentions every step of the way. All he'd ever thought about was how Itachi might use his skills to best serve the clan, and in the process, had lost sight of his son as a person.

It was disappointing to know that now, only when his son was on his potential deathbed, he'd realized this.

"I shouldn't have pushed him so hard," Fugaku said slowly.

Sasuke shook his head. "You were only doing what you thought was right. I'm sure Itachi knows that, too."

"He is strong," Mikoto added, holding his hand reassuringly. "And he's in Sakura's capable hands. Believe in her. We'll see him again, and you can tell him yourself."

And they all continued to wait together.

At long last, after they all lost count of the hours they'd spent in the hospital, waiting for news about their family member, a haggard Sakura staggered into the lobby. Her chakra levels were extremely low, sweat beaded along her hairline, and she could barely stand, but her face wore the spirit of triumph.

Sasuke hurried over to sling her arm around his shoulder and help her stand. Gratefully, she latched on, letting her friend take the brunt of her weight.

"It was a success," she grinned. "He'll live. It might take a while for him to wake up, but he'll live."

Mikoto's eyes immediately teared up, and she buried her face in Fugaku's chest, soaking his robes with her tears, but he held her there, letting his clothes muffle her crying.

The weight that'd been taking hold of Fugaku had lifted off his shoulders.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you."

* * *

For the next several days, Sasuke, Mikoto, and Fugaku lived in Itachi's hospital room, keeping watch over him. According to Sakura, his mind had most likely undergone a lot of shock; the first aid and the poison extraction she'd performed had both been hard on his body. But rest assured, she'd said patiently and calmly several times despite their numerous questions and concerns, it was now just a matter of time. His body was healed, and his brain just needed to catch up. They all waited with anticipation.

The day when it finally happened, Mikoto had been watching while Fugaku and Sasuke slept.

"Itachi!" Her startled cry awoke both of them, and they jumped in surprise to see that Itachi was sitting upright, a hand gripped over his chest. He cringed in pain as he flexed his fingers and shifted his body.

Immediately, all three family members were by his side, and it was like they could finally breathe again.

"Where am I?" Dazed, he gripped his head.

"Sakura saved your life," she exclaimed. "She brought you to the hospital."

As Sasuke and Mikoto showered him with questions and hugs, respectively, Fugaku let out a sigh of relief. His family would remain whole. He watched them embrace and allowed a the tiniest hint of a smile to creep to his lips. Itachi's eyes met his as he did so, and Fugaku gleaned the slightest hint of surprise.

"You had us worried," he finally said while maintaining their eye contact.

"Ah." Itachi laid a comforting hand on his mother and brother's shoulders and mirrored his father's subtle smile with a gentle smile of his own. "I apologize."

He then resumed speaking with Mikoto and Sasuke about what he remembered and how he was feeling.

As Fugaku watched over his family, in the peripherals of his senses, he detected a presence outside the door.

He turned and opened the door to find Sakura, who had been leaning against the wall outside the room's entrance. Surprised, she jumped and stood straight. She quickly brought a hand to her cheek and wiped away what had been a tear.

"He's awake?" She whispered.

Fugaku nodded.

"That's a relief. I'll see when I can get him discharged," she said, the smile on her face a little too tight to be natural. She turned away, her feet shuffling on the ground.

"Wait."

She stopped in her tracks. Her tiny frame was trembling.

"Go see him."

Her frame shook even more, so she rested a fist over her chest in an effort to calm herself down. "Itachi should spend his first waking moments with family. I can wait just a bit longer."

"I insist."

She whipped around, shocked, verdant eyes searching his face to see if he meant it.

He nodded with no hesitation. She had seen him through the entire process, and was the reason why he was still alive.

She blinked and stumbled past him into the room without asking further questions, and he followed.

As she entered the room, Itachi's quiet murmur stopped. They looked at each other, the whole world fading away around them. Mikoto and Sasuke had stepped off to the side.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she ran forward into Itachi's open arms where she cried hysterically into his shirt, blubbering about how she'd been so scared, and that she'd doubted herself at several moments along the way. Garbled words flooded endlessly from her as she sobbed, remembering how awful he looked when she found him under that tree that day, and how she felt like the world was ending when they'd discovered poison in his system. She bawled, recounting how the poison extraction had been difficult, and how Itachi, in his sleep, had struggled against their attempts to hold him down. There had been times when his heart had almost stopped, and she had no choice but to continue with the procedure and hope for the best. She'd been so scared. And Itachi was there to soothe her, whispering words of comfort that were for her and only her, and holding her as tightly as he could. He pressed gentle kisses along her brow and wiped her tears away with gentle hands, muttering about how she'd been so strong all by herself while carrying such a heavy burden. A warmth crept into his son's eyes as she threatened to punch his lights out if he ever scared her like that again.

Fugaku didn't remember when his elder son had started smiling like that. He looked so … happy. That was surprising for the patriarch, as he only ever saw his Itachi with a serious expression.

Fugaku watched the two of them, and finally understood. The relationship had never been an excuse. They truly loved each other. Itachi had been completely serious when he threatened to leave the clan for her, and Fugaku could clearly see why. There was undoubtedly no one better for his elder son than Haruno Sakura; they would be an unstoppable duo. He had to hand it to Itachi. He always knew what he wanted, and would pursue it until the very end, even if the world seemed to be against him.

Fugaku breathed a sigh of defeat. The clan elders would not be happy with his decision.

* * *

Itachi had finally been discharged from the hospital, and was spending some time at home. His mother fussed over him day in and out, even if he was completely fine. The house was either too hot or too cold, and it always had to be at the perfect temperature for their son. Sasuke watched over Itachi in his own way by staying at home and refusing missions in the meantime. And Sakura would visit every now and then, joining the family for dinner. All things seemed peaceful, but the words that Fugaku had exchanged with his son still weighed heavily on his heart.

He had been sitting out on the porch, sipping a cup of tea and observing his backyard.

"Itachi." He called for his son, who was walking in the hall behind him. "Join me."

Quietly, Itachi folded his legs beside his father, and stared out at the grass. Fugaku poured some tea into a spare cup beside his, and gestured for Itachi to drink. Long, slender fingers cradled the cup. The drink remained untouched.

"I've cancelled the arrangement with Uchiha Kaori."

Probably being cautious, Itachi still stared straight ahead.

"I respect whatever decision you choose to make," he continued. "Even if you decide to leave the clan to pursue your happiness… I will not protest."

Fugaku took another sip of his tea, "I didn't realize it before in my pursuit to choose what was right for you. I misjudged you and the Hokage's apprentice, and let hatred cloud my judgment, and I will not make that mistake again. From now on, make your choices without bearing the guilt I've imparted on you. Whatever choice you make, I will defend it."

It hurt to utter those words. Of course, he would prefer if Itachi stayed, but after his brush with death, Fugaku decided Mikoto had been right. They were a family first.

Itachi rose, but not before drinking his tea in full. "Thank you, Father. I'll think it over."

But before he could get too far, Fugaku stopped him again.

"Itachi."

"Yes?"

"You are extremely lucky to have someone like Haruno Sakura."

An amused glint appeared in Itachi's eyes. "I know."

* * *

"Thank you so much for helping out," Sakura said, handing Fugaku and Mikoto bags of supplies. "We don't know what we'd do without you."

She leaned down towards the swaddled form in Mikoto's arms and cooed. "Be a good boy, ok?"

The bundle gurgled happily at her words.

"It's our pleasure! And we don't worry - we understand." Mikoto beamed, cuddling with the bundle.

"Sakura, are you ready?" Itachi emerged from a hallway of the house. "We don't want to be late."

"I'm ready."

Itachi approached his mother and readjusted the folds of the blanket she held. Curious, small hands emerged from the folds and grasped at his pointer finger, and he chuckled. "See you soon, Kazumi."

With that, he gently extracted his captive hand, interlaced his fingers with Sakura's, and turned for the door. "The clan meeting should not last more than a few hours. We will return once it's finished."

"Hopefully we don't hear too many complaints from the elders today," Sakura scowled. "It always drags the meetings on for so long."

Itachi smiled. "Yes, but you'll argue with them anyway."

"Ugh, you know me too well. I already know I'm going be giving the one with the beard a piece of my mind today."

They gave one final wave to the former matriarch and patriarch of the clan and walked away, hand in hand.

"Bye, Itachi, Sakura!" Mikoto closed the door behind them, and shot a pride-filled look at her husband. "They're doing just fine, aren't they."

Despite the clan elders' protests, Fugaku had staunchly advocated Sakura's addition into the family, and now, they faced her stubborn self head on. For the past 2 years, the couple had taken up the mantle of the Uchiha clan, leading by example and challenging the beliefs of old, like advocating for the clan to be more involved with the village.

"Hn." Fugaku wouldn't admit it out loud, but the pair was indeed doing a fine job. After they had a serious discussion about their future, they'd decided to lead the Uchiha after all. It would be hard, but they both wanted to improve the clan for the sake of their future children. Their children deserved to know their heritage, clan, and family, and leaving the Uchiha name behind would not allow for that. With Itachi's tact and Sakura's determination, there was no doubt that in Fugaku's mind that they would be able to implement the changes they wanted.

"Dear?" Mikoto held out the bundle in her arms and grinned. "Isn't our grandson so cute?"

Two years ago, Fugaku would have been against this. He would've sworn that joining the Uchiha clan with outsiders would taint the bloodline, a stance that'd been strongly alleged by the elders, and one that he'd believed wholeheartedly for several years. But now, as he reached for his grandson and held him close, observing his signature Uchiha black hair and the flecks of deep green in his sleepy eyes, he just didn't think that was true.

Just from looking, he could already tell that Kazumi would be a strong, talented shinobi like his parents. And he was already proud to call him an Uchiha.


End file.
